Training
by Pepin-Bones
Summary: The girls go off for some training and the boys decide to tag along (uninvited). What happens when the girls discover their presence? Fluffy goodness and lemons... Nalu, Gruvia, Jerza, and Gale.
1. The Girls

_Update 4/18/18: I was reading through this in an effort to get some inspiration to continue and found way too many tense issues in this chapter to ignore, so that's the only change here!_

* * *

"Ow!"

"Oh, I'm going to feel that in the morning!"

"I'm feeling it now!"

"I can't move!"

Erza, Lucy, Levy, Juvia, Wendy, and Carla were at Akane Resort. While they were enjoying a much-needed break from missions, they did not want to lose their touch and so they were also using the time to train together. Each wizard possessed their own strengths, and they were using those strengths to help train the others. They were currently on Erza's rotation, and she'd just put them through a most grueling physical workout, working on strength as well as their cardiovascular reserves. Therefore, she was the only one not exhausted and complaining.

"That was just the warm up," she threatened, standing above the others with her hands on her hips.

"What?!" the remaining five cried out. Lucy and Levy were completely sprawled out on the ground, panting and covered in sweat. Juvia was bent over, her hands on her knees as she attempted to catch her breath. Wendy was curled into a ball on the ground, in a manner similar to Child's Pose in yoga, but also crying. Carla was simply seeing stars.

Chuckling, Erza brushed her hair back from her face. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she looked at the resort below them. They'd climbed some way up the mountain in order to be alone. "Why did the boys decide to come too?" she grumbled.

Juvia stood up, her body trembling, as she followed Erza's hard gaze. "They said they needed to train too. Juvia likes to think it's because they don't want to miss anything."

"That may be, but they better not be a distraction," Lucy whined, forcing herself to sit up. "How are you two still standing?!"

Beside her, Levy pushed herself up into a sitting position as well. "Because they're evil," she offered.

"I think I might throw up," Wendy wailed, holding her hand over her mouth as though she was about to.

"Wendy!" Carla cried, flying over to her fallen friend. When Wendy managed to keep her stomach contents inside, Carla glared at Erza. "Did you have to go so hard?"

Erza shrugged. "It's our third day here. If we're not upping the ante now, then what's the point?"

"You know what might help? The Jacuzzi!" Juvia cheered.

Lucy, Levy, Wendy, and Carla perked up at that. "The Jacuzzi sounds wonderful," Levy admitted. But when she went to stand up, her legs gave out on her. "If I can even make it back," she cried.

Lucy looked at her friend with a pout. _How is Erza not even phased by this?! No wonder she's so crazy strong…_ "You know what, as much as I hate to admit it, we could all probably use some loosening up before we head back."

"Bambi legs not enough for you?" Erza teased, but she was already rolling her yoga mat back out.

"Oh, Lucy, no more!" Levy pleaded as Lucy managed to roll to her hands and knees.

"It won't be much," she promised. "And we'll start from the ground before we stand up, okay?"

Levy and Wendy reluctantly nodded while Erza and Juvia dropped back to the ground.

* * *

From the trees, the boys hid in the shadows, watching what the girls were up to. They weren't necessarily trying to spy on them, they had just never seen the girls train on their own and curiosity got the better of them. They had left them alone, as promised, the first two days, but today their curiosity would not be sated. And so, after a few drinks to bolster their courage (Natsu and Gray were terrified of Erza finding them), they found themselves huddled together in the shadows. They had watched as the girls sweat and cursed as Erza pushed them.

"And we wondered how she was so strong," Gray murmured in awe.

"Speak for yourself Ice Pick," Natsu grumbled.

"You want to join them?" Gajeel teased, elbowing Natsu in the ribs.

"Stop it!" Jellal hissed, his eyes only on the scarlet beauty leading the group. "You want to get us all killed?"

At that the boys had grown silent, appreciating the view even if they wouldn't admit it to each other. It wasn't until Lucy started leading them through some stretches that Natsu spoke again, his eyes growing wide. "I had no idea they were so…."

"Flexible," Gray finished for him.

"This won't take them long, we should head back." Jellal was ever the voice of reason.

"What? Why?" the others pouted, not moving from their spots. Lily was the only one who didn't seem to mind leaving.

"It's your funeral," Jellal cautioned tactlessly.

"Coming!" they whispered harshly, turning to follow the blue haired wizard down the hill and back to their room. The girls had no idea they were ever there.

* * *

"Better?" Lucy asked as she finished up the last pose.

"Much," Levy admitted as she rolled up her yoga mat.

"Can we go to the Jacuzzi now?" Wendy asked.

"Of course." Erza ruffled her hair. "I think we've all earned it!"

They were packing up their gear when Wendy's nose caught something. "Hey guys, I think the boys were up here."

"What?!" everyone shouted.

"I smell them." She sniffed the air again. " _All_ of them."

The only one smiling ruefully was Erza as she roused the rest of them out of their stupor. "So that's how they want to play it?"

They were in the hot baths within thirty minutes, glasses of wine all around (except for Wendy). "This feels sooooo good," Lucy murmured, sinking so that she was submerged up to her neck.

"I could stay in here forever," Levy admitted, doing the same thing.

Juvia sat up, her arms resting on the edge of the Jacuzzi to either side of her, but her nakedness successfully concealed beneath the water. "Being in warm water immediately revitalizes Juvia."

Erza sat on the edge of the Jacuzzi with just her feet in the water, lazily moving her feet back and forth as she swirled the wine around in her glass. Her mind was not on the girls she was with, but with a certain blue haired mage… "What do you think the boys are up to?" she asked, taking a drink so it would appear like a casual question.

"I thought we weren't going to let them distract us," Lucy admonished.

"It's just an innocent question," Levy defended Erza, partially because she was wondering the same thing.

"They have been distant this whole time," Juvia admitted. "Juvia fears they prefer being without us," she whimpered, her voice turning into a soft whine.

"I'm sure they are just using the time to train hard, just like we are," Wendy offered. She was the only one present who didn't have a man in her life, whether the others would admit that fact or not. She didn't mind – she was still too young for such things – but sometimes she wished the others would get their heads out of their asses already. "But they were up there today when we were training. I'm sure of it."

"Maybe Erza's workout scared them off," Lucy huffed.

Erza shrugged. "Then they shouldn't have been watching without permission."

"Without permission?!" Levy gasped. "What do you mean by that?"

"Gray can watch Juvia all he wants," Juvia drawled dreamily, her eyes full of hearts as she looked at the ceiling.

Lucy stared at Erza and Juvia with wide eyes. Although she would never admit it, the idea of the boys secretly watching them sent a thrill through her. Feelings she tried not to think about flitted through her chest and stomach at the thought of the boys pining over them. _Do they think about us the way we think about them?_ Blood warmed her cheeks at the thought. "Would you have done things differently if you knew they were watching?" she finally asked, feeling brave enough (or perhaps tipsy enough) to handle the answer.

Erza thought a moment. Levy was staring at Lucy with wide eyes. "You mean like one of your stories, Lucy?" she blurted without thinking.

"Levy!"

"What's this about your stories?" Erza immediately quipped, dropping into the water so she could be closer to them.

"N-nothing," Lucy blushed furiously. Levy opened her mouth to speak and Lucy clamped a hand over her mouth. "Don't you dare say anything!" she hissed dangerously.

"Oh, come on, Lucy! Be a good sport!"

"Please, tell us!" Juvia pleaded. The blue and scarlet haired mages surrounded her and even Levy looked up at her with pleading eyes.

"Ugh!" she groaned, all but shoving Levy away from her. Her cheeks grew so warm she could swear she was as red as Erza's hair. "Tell them, Levy, while I go drown myself with wine." Little did she know that the men's baths were directly below them and the four men (plus two Exceeds) in question were in there, able to hear every word they were saying.

Levy looked at Wendy, who had just passed out on one of the lounge chairs before she launched into an account of Lucy's most recent and ongoing story. "A lot of the characters are based off people in the guild and people we've already met. Several of the members of the guild are already paired up with each other." She looked at Lucy out of the corner of her eye. "And there's unrequited love between characters awfully similar to Lucy and Natsu."

Below them, Natsu's brow furrowed. "What's unrequited love?"

"Really? It means it's not returned or reciprocated," Gray answered, pulling his eyes from the ceiling.

"What does that mean?"

"It means one of the characters loves the other but the feelings aren't returned," Jellal expanded.

Natsu looked at the water in front of him. _Why would she write about that? Is that how she sees me?_

Back with the girls, Erza chuckled. "Like it would really be unrequited!"

"Oh, come on! Like Natsu even understands such a thing as love!" Lucy interrupted. Even as she tried to sound light, an underlying tone of sadness came through her voice, making her drink more wine.

Beneath them, Natsu frowned at the water, clenching his teeth. The others wisely decided not to say anything.

"What about Gray and Juvia?" Juvia asked, clasping her hands in front of her chest in her excitement.

"They are exactly the opposite of you two," Levy explained. "Gray's character fawns over you but you constantly blow him off."

"Juvia would never!"

"That's what makes it perfect," Erza said dreamily.

Below, Gray _tch'd_ and folded his arms across his chest. "Like I would ever," he began.

"And?" Erza asked, trying not to sound too desperate as she clasped her hands in front of her chest.

Levy thought a moment, her eyes turning to Lucy. "Jellal is, well, he's complicated," Lucy admitted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jellal asked from below.

Gajeel smiled ruefully. "And you'd have us think you didn't care."

Jellal glowered at the iron dragon slayer and tried to listen closer.

"Well, he's still wanted by the Magic Council. He's not an official member of Fairy Tail, but he comes by as often as he can."

"Oh," Erza sounded disappointed.

"You two are engaged," Lucy finally blurted out, unable to stand the dejected look on Erza's face. "But it's a secret from everyone else since he's wanted. You haven't even told anyone else in Fairy Tail about it."

Erza's eyes shone with stars as she envisioned the wedding dress she actually already had stashed away. "Seriously?!"

Lucy smiled. "Of course!"

Jellal's eyes fell to the water below them. "It's like she heard my excuse," he breathed.

"What's that?" Natsu asked, catching his barely spoken words.

"Nothing." He turned away to hide the blush darkening his cheeks.

"What about Gajeel?" Erza asked as Levy remained silent.

Now that she had started sharing, cutting Levy off, Lucy felt more secure about it. That, and she knew Levy wasn't about to divulge any information on the man she pined for. "Gajeel's character is sweet and kind. Might as well be the opposite of our Gajeel."

"Damn, that's harsh," Gray stated as he looked at the iron dragon slayer.

Gajeel simply stood with his hands folded across his chest and shrugged his shoulders. "Makes no difference to me."

"She has you as the exact opposite too, Snow Ball," Natsu teased.

"Can it Flame Brain!"

"Shhhh! Or do you want them to know we can hear them?!" Jellal snapped.

"Sweet and kind, huh?" Erza looked at Levy, who was blushing furiously. "Is that how you see him?"

"W-w-well," Levy stuttered. "I see him differently than everyone else."

"Awe, Levy wants to have Gajeel babies!" Juvia cheered.

"What?! No!" Levy shouted.

Below, five sets of wide eyes turned on Gajeel. He wasn't able to hide his blush fast enough. "This has gone far enough," he grumbled.

"Is that how you see us?" Erza asked, downing several sips of wine as she tried to imagine preparing for a wedding.

Lucy shrugged, likewise drinking more. "It's a possibility of how I see things. Call it wishful thinking sometimes," she breathed. Natsu was the only one who could hear her from below as she muttered the last part.

 _What's she mean, wishful thinking?_

"Can we please stop talking about this?" Lucy finally whined, leaning back against the side of the Jacuzzi once more. Her heart ached with loneliness.

"Fine." Erza settled on the opposite side of the Jacuzzi. "Then tell us exactly what happens when Natsu sleeps at your house all the time. Happy says he even sleeps in your bed." She paused for dramatic effect. "With you."

"WHAT?!" Lucy nearly jumped out of the water.

"Yes, do tell!" Levy shrieked.

Below them, five sets of eyes now turned expectantly on Natsu. Happy snickered from over his shoulder. His mouth fell open, empty of an excuse, as his hands came up defensively. He was saved by Lucy's response.

"It's n-n-not like that!" Lucy stammered, heat darkening her cheeks once more.

"Then how is it?" Erza asked pointedly.

"It's not that I want him to sleep in my bed, he just sneaks in half the time. I don't even realize he's there until I wake up in the morning."

"And the other half of the time?" Levy added.

Lucy's eyes shot daggers. "Why are we talking about this?"

"Juvia would love it if Gray slept in her bed."

"We know," they responded, suppressing eye rolls. The men below mimicked their reaction without realizing it.

"Well, he-he's really warm," she breathed, again quiet enough that only Natsu could hear. He smiled softly to himself.

"You want him to sleep there, don't you?" Levy asked quietly.

"Do you cuddle?" Juvia blurted, her hands once more clasped in front of her chest with hearts in her eyes.

Lucy had to swallow past a lump in her throat as her heart rate kicked up. More often than not, she woke up with Natsu's arms around her. Even though she wiggled out of them before he woke up most of the time, she loved it more than she would ever admit. It made her feel even closer to him, and maybe for a moment, just for a moment, she would allow herself to imagine their life differently. "Would that be so bad? He makes me feel safe."

Natsu's ears turned bright red but his heart was pleasantly warm.

"Is that all?" Erza inquired, her eyebrow cocked up.

"Lucy wants to have Natsu babies!" Juvia cheered, splashing all of them as she clapped her hands happily.

"What?! NO!" Lucy repeated Levy's previous denial.

"Do you even know how to make babies?" Gray teased, elbowing a blushing Natsu in the ribs.

"O-Of course I do, Snowflake!"

"Juvia doesn't understand why you'd deny what your heart feels."

Lucy and Levy exchanged looks that spoke volumes. "Can we stop talking about this, now? Please?!"

"Fine." Erza brushed them off.

"I feel like I have to wash after all this talk," Lucy admitted with a nervous laugh, and they set to work cleaning themselves up, continuing to drink as they went.

In the room beneath them, the boys grew unnaturally quiet, each subdued by their own thoughts and by what they had just heard. They drank as they listened, surprised by how quiet the girls got while they bathed. Nearly thirty minutes went by before they heard anything else.

"I need a massage," Lucy complained, rolling her neck and rubbing a hand on her shoulder.

"I bet Natsu would give you one," Levy teased, but she was likewise rubbing sore muscles.

"Shut up!"

"Nah. I wish Gajeel would give me a massage. He's so strong…"

Erza looked at Levy with an eyebrow raised, surprised by her confession. "Really?"

"Oh, come on. Like Erza wouldn't want a massage from Jellal?" Juvia teased. Erza shot the bluette daggers from her eyes. "Well, Juvia would take a massage from Gray."

"We know," they all answered in unison. The taunts went round and round the room.

"You know, they decided to tag along on _our_ training," Erza began, "I think the least they could do is give us some massages." Her eyes sparkled with determined stars as she looked at the others before her.

Everyone had pink cheeks, their faces flushed from the wine and heat from the Jacuzzi. "What are you going to do, Erza?" Lucy was the only one brave enough to ask. Erza was already standing up and wrapping a robe around herself.

"I'll be right back."

"Oh, shit," Lucy and Levy breathed.

"Oh, Gray!" Juvia cheered.

* * *

"You think we should go up there?" Gray asked. Natsu and Gajeel looked at him like he was crazy.

"You really want to get involved in that?" Gajeel asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Oh, come on."

"Sounds like Erza's going to come looking for us either way," Jellal casually commented.

"The girls get crazy when they drink," Natsu tried to reason with him, even though he was also curious.

"And we don't?" Jellal countered, already getting out of the baths.

"Jellal!" Gajeel cried, but he was quickly the only one left and sprang from the Jacuzzi to follow them.

Erza tried the boys' rooms first, and when she got no answer she tried the baths, suspecting they would still be trying to spy on them. "Hey!" she called as she strode in. She was taken completely by surprise when she found them all clumsily covering themselves with towels or robes.

"Erza?!" Gray and Natsu shrieked, hugging each other. Jellal looked at her with curious eyes.

"Come with me," she demanded. When no one started to move, a vein popped out on her forehead and a dark aura surrounded her. "Now!"

"Yes ma'am!" they exclaimed, moving to follow her obediently.

"I think you meant to say the girls get _scary_ when they drink," Gray corrected Natsu quietly. The fire dragon slayer nodded in agreement.

They arrived in the girls' baths a moment later, the girls instantly paling.

"Hey!" Gray called, sauntering into the lady's Jacuzzi as though he belonged there.

"Gray!" Juvia shouted, her flushed face instantly perking up at seeing him.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried, plummeting below the water.

"Gajeel!" Levy shrieked, falling back into the water – she had been about to get out and get more wine.

"What are we doing here?" Gajeel asked darkly, his arms folded across his chest.

"Wendy caught your scent after we were done training."

 _Way to beat around the bush, Erza,_ Lucy grumbled. Her eyes traveled down Natsu's glistening wet abs before she caught herself and turned away with a blush.

"Since you spied on us, you're going to give us massages." She looked at the girls still in the water. "Clearly, we've earned them." The four men couldn't come up with an argument, so they stood there, gaping.

"Here?" Gray finally asked. Juvia blushed.

"No, you idiot! In the massage rooms."

"What?" Natsu asked, his eyes wide.

Erza quirked an eyebrow. "For privacy, dumb ass."

"R-r-right," he breathed, feeling his heart rate kick it into high gear.

"Girls, out!" Erza ordered.

"But we're," Lucy and Levy started to argue.

"Boys, turn around!" Erza hurried to command, and they rushed to obey. Splashing water was heard behind them and the girls rushed to wrap themselves up in towels. Each of them grabbed their own bottle of wine.

"Where are these rooms, Erza?" Jellal asked, his voice deep and quiet.

Smiling, Erza led the procession down the hall. Lucky (or perhaps unlucky) for them, the hotel had six different rooms that could be used for massage. They were all open. She stopped outside each door and instructed a couple to go inside until it was just Jellal and her left. "We'll take the last one, but I need to get Wendy up to bed first."

"I'll stay with her," Lily offered. Happy and Carla had disappeared into one of the massage rooms.

Jellal returned Erza's smile, resisting the urge to brush her hair from her cheek. "I'll carry her."

* * *

 _A/N: Honestly, I deleted my other version of this chapter before posting this one (bad mistake on my part), so I'm not sure what I had here originally, haha! But anyway, I hope you enjoy this story and know that future chapters will be steamy and will feature each couple, ideally._

 _I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. They all belong to Hiro Mashima. I just own this story/idea._


	2. Lucy

Now that they were alone, Lucy took several more drinks to help calm her nerves. She was already tipsy – she probably didn't need anymore help – but she felt like she did. "Did you agree to this?" she asked, her words slightly slurred as she sat on the massage table, swinging her feet nervously.

Natsu was looking at her in a whole new light. _How does she really see me,_ he kept asking himself, unable to figure it out. "Erza didn't give us much of a choice," he began, scratching the back of his neck, then stopped himself when Lucy's face fell. "But yeah."

Lucy smiled softly up at him and pulled her hair over one shoulder. "Well, how do you want me?"

Eyes widening, Natsu had to remind himself to close his mouth. "W-what?"

"How do you want me?" she repeated, her voice innocent.

 _What the hell is wrong with me?!_ Berating himself, Natsu motioned to the table, unable to look Lucy in the eye after what he just thought. "Just lay down on your stomach."

Without needing to be told twice, Lucy spun to lay on her stomach, only slightly aware that her towel rode up the back of her thighs as she moved. The towel was still wrapped tightly around her and pressed painfully into her chest, but she was afraid to move it. Sensing her hesitation, Natsu left it on and cautiously stepped forward. Not sure what to do, he pressed his hands against her shoulders and smiled softly when she shuddered beneath him. The moment his fingers started kneading and working her sore muscles, she groaned.

Only minutes had gone by, but Natsu could see the towel was going to be a problem. "Hey Luce," he breathed.

"Hmm?"

"I need you to take off your towel," his voice was quiet and husky, unusually gruff for him and he had to clear his throat. Lucy tensed beneath his hand and he quickly reassured her. "So I can get your back."

Shaking, Lucy pressed herself back slightly onto her knees and pulled the towel free from the front of her. She laid back down on her belly and instructed, "Put it where you want it."

Natsu had to swallow after hearing her words. He had seen her naked before, had even taken a bath with her before, but somehow seeing her naked back before him now left him breathless. She was warm and clean, the soft scent of her shampoo catching his nose and making him want to fill his senses with her presence. Before he realized he was doing it, he was leaning closer to her, his mouth open as though he intended to kiss her back. He caught himself just as she felt his warm breath on her shoulder. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he gently pulled the towel down so it just covered her butt, then went back to work.

 _Oh my God, his hands feel so good!_ Lucy couldn't stop her thoughts from running in her head as Natsu's hands kneaded the aching muscles of her shoulders. When his hands moved to her mid-back, she groaned from the strength of his touch.

His hands warmed in response to her groan, but really the heat was coming from everywhere. "Oh, this feels so good," Lucy mumbled into the massage table. The heat from his hands only aided in her relaxation. "Erza about killed us today."

"I saw that," he murmured, then flinched, realizing he just admitted that they were spying on them.

"Have some wine, Natsu," she instructed with a chuckle when she felt him stiffen at his admission. "It will help calm your nerves."

"Nerves? What the hell are you talking about?" he asked harshly. She said nothing. "Just relax and shut up, Luce."

She didn't need to be told twice.

Twenty minutes had passed and Natsu found himself digging harder and harder into Lucy's back. He was now straddling her legs, leaning his weight onto her back from behind as he all but sat on her butt. She groaned beneath him and occasionally kicked her legs or sucked in a pained breath as he struck a particularly sore spot. His cheeks were flushed and warm, both from how hard he was working and because she was naked below him – and he was naked on top of her – their towels keeping them from touching. The sounds and shivers coming from her in response to his touch made his heart feel light and warm, but also made his stomach flutter nervously. Because of this, he had followed Lucy's advice and had more to drink, enough so that his hands were beginning to feel numb, his head buzzing pleasantly.

It was the wine that gave him the courage to do what he did next. He pressed back from her, lithely jumping off the side of the massage table. Lucy blearily picked her head up in curiosity, to see what he was doing; surprisingly annoyed by the fact that he was no longer straddling her. Her fingers and toes were tingling, her head buzzing as she became ever more aware of Natsu's presence at her side. She wanted him near her, wanted him to keep touching her, but she couldn't say that out loud. When she heard him take a long drink of wine, she had to suppress a relieved sigh.

"What," she began but he interrupted her.

"I owe you," he simply explained, but she didn't understand. Her brow furrowed as she turned to look behind her, just in time to see Natsu wiping sweat from his forehead on the back of his arm, before he gripped her calf in his surprisingly warm hands. When he realized she was watching him, he looked up at her with one raised eyebrow and a crooked smile on his face as he cocked his head to the side. "You did work your full body today, so that calls for a full body massage."

Lucy trembled at his words, simple as they were. The idea of his hands in places they had not yet been sent a rush of heat from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, and she could swear she was glowing red. Then his hands found knots in her calf and she dropped her head onto her arm, kicked her other foot, and groaned. "Mmmmm," she hummed through the pleasant pain. Natsu smiled and kept working.

Another twenty minutes passed and Lucy's head was spinning. She had never felt so relaxed before. Natsu had massaged both of her feet and ankles, both calves, and was now moving up to the backs of her thighs. As soon as his fingers tickled over the backs of her knees, she shivered pleasantly, and his touch changed, became more insecure. He hesitated at first, his hands immediately warming, then pressed onward, sliding both his hands up the back and sides of her left thigh. Lucy's legs spread apart slightly without thought from her and it made his heart jump into his throat. _How is this helping,_ he berated himself. He had wanted her before, but now it was even worse!

"I felt like I couldn't walk earlier," she mumbled into the table.

"What?" He couldn't understand her. Plus, he was too focused on trying not to think about what was underneath her towel again.

"I felt like I couldn't walk earlier," she repeated, turning her head to the side with a happy sigh.

"That why you stretched everyone out?" he asked, then flinched, realizing that he had again admitted that they were watching them.

"So you saw that?" There was no anger or reproach in her voice, just simple curiosity.

"Some of it," he admitted.

"And?" she asked haughtily.

His hands slid further up her thigh and he noticed the way she tensed slightly. It caused hot blood to rush to his cheeks. "I didn't realize how flexible you are," he muttered, immediately regretting the words as soon as they were out of his mouth.

"Oh, really?"

Natsu was staring at her with his mouth hanging open, afraid and yet curious to what she was thinking of his admission. He had had his share of impure thoughts at the numerous positions she had stretched in earlier…

 _Hiccup._ Lucy sat up on her elbows, clapping her hands to her mouth in embarrassment, the sound shockingly loud in their utter silence. Natsu's hands slipped up her leg in his surprise but he immediately pulled them back, his ears burning. To Lucy's dismay, she hiccupped again. "Oh, Mavis," she groaned.

Beside her, Natsu's face broke into a relieved smile and he laughed, his hands moving to her right thigh. "Oh, Luce," he breathed, chuckling at her dismay.

Pleasantly surprised at his new hand position, Lucy sucked in a breath before berating him. "Shut up!" She promptly hiccupped again, dropping her face back to her now crossed arms in front of her. Natsu left her hiccups alone, massaging out the tightness from her thigh with a smile on his face. After several more hiccups, Lucy groaned. "Hey, Natsu?" she asked, breathless, as she turned her head to the side.

"Luce?" He stopped his kneading.

"Can I put my head in your lap and have you play with my hair? Just like I do for you?"

His cheeks warming once more, Natsu wasn't sure it was safe for her to put her head in his lap. "Sure," he shrugged anyway, taking a step back so she could get up. He took the moment to adjust his towel.

Without thinking about her nakedness, Lucy pulled her legs up under her as Natsu jumped back onto the table where her head had just been. She sat up and pulled her hair back over her shoulders, stretching her back softly as she did it, without realizing she was wearing nothing to conceal herself.

"Luce," Natsu breathed, unable to pull his eyes away as she stretched, curving her back to one side and pulling her hands behind her head. His heart was hammering so hard in his chest he was sure she could hear it.

Not noticing his discomfort or realizing what she just did, Lucy turned and rested her head in his lap, pulling the towel up to her waist and draping her arm forward so that it concealed her breast. Her hand rested on his thigh. Natsu simply stared at her a moment, his eyes wide in wonder, as she snuggled into his legs, her eyes closed. His hands were shaking as he tried to fight the response his body was having to her. _Why is my heart beating so fast? Why is it so hard to breathe?_ _Why do I keep thinking these things?_ When he rested his hand on her head, Lucy let out a happy sound that tugged at his heart. _This feels so good, but hurts at the same time…_ _Is_ this _unrequited love?_

Allowing himself to look at her as he longed to, Natsu carefully pulled his fingers through her hair, then plunged them back close to her hairline. His fingertips brushed softly against her scalp, curled, then made their way through her hair once more. Her hair was obviously a lot longer than his, but he loved the way it glided through his fingers like silk. She sighed happily with a soft smile on her lips that made him want to melt. _Is this what she feels when she does this for me?_

"You're so warm," she breathed, snuggling into his thigh. Her hiccups were gone. She suspected her nervousness and excitement at being in such a position with him had something to do with it. He had never touched her so tenderly before…

"Yeah," he answered lamely, feeling a rush of heat come from him again.

"This is nice."

"I see why you do this for me."

Lucy's eyes slowly opened. "I don't get motion sickness," she argued.

Smiling, Natsu trailed his fingers down her neck, causing both of them to shiver. "I know, weirdo." He was practically whispering, but didn't understand why. "That's not what I was talking about."

"I like to do nice things for you," she explained.

"I know." He returned his fingers to her hair and she smiled gently.

They were quiet for several minutes, both of their cheeks growing warm, before Lucy sat up. She remembered the towel this time, and pulled it to her chest to cover herself. "Natsu?"

His breath caught in his throat. "Hmm?"

"Can I do something?"

Natsu hesitated. They had both been drinking, Lucy even more so than he, and he didn't want her to do anything she would regret. He wanted to do anything she asked, but he couldn't compromise her in any way. "Sure," he cautiously offered.

Without a moment's hesitation, Lucy pushed him back onto his back. His legs naturally came up on the table with him. She then crawled forward, still holding onto the towel, fitting between his legs, and laid onto his chest – well, almost his chest. She pulled the towel apart at the last minute, so her bare breasts were pressed into his bare stomach, but she didn't care. His hands automatically (but nervously) went back to playing with her hair and she smiled at the touch. _This is not something friends do, is it?_ Natsu was still trying to process what was happening.

"Luce," he started as she squirmed, trying to get comfortable. "Maybe this isn't," she cut him off.

"You always fall asleep on me," she whined. "Now it's my turn."

Swallowing, Natsu knew she was telling the truth - more often than not, Lucy playing with his hair on the train to help his motion sickness put him to sleep. It was what made transportation more tolerable for him, and if it weren't for the motion sickness, he would enjoy the small act even more than he already did. Now, as much as he didn't want to admit it, her breasts against his stomach felt wonderful – her skin was so soft. But she was also precariously close to feeling how excited he was about the whole thing, and _not_ in a friendly way. When she continued to squirm, trying to get more comfortable, and instead only increasing his desire, he gripped her shoulders to still her. "If you want to sleep on me so much, then come to bed." _Wait, what?! Did I just say that?_

Her head still buzzing, Lucy put her hands on his belly and rested her chin on top of them, looking up at him with wide, chocolate brown eyes that shone. "Bed?"

Sitting up slightly on his elbows, Natsu scratched the back of his neck nervously, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, bed. You know, that thing you sleep on?"

"The girls asked me why you sleep in my bed all the time," she blurted out of nowhere, trailing her fingertips across his taut abs in front of her distractedly.

Sucking in a breath at her gentle touch, Natsu shivered. "And what did you tell them?" he asked even though he already knew. He had to suppress the urge to close his eyes at her touch.

"That you sneak in."

"I do," he admitted.

"But I also want you there," she purred.

His ears started to burn as his stomach clenched. Her touch was only causing further excitement below. "Luce," he began, feeling like he needed to stop her.

"Then tell me, why do you sleep in my bed?"

His heart was roaring in his ears, his breath coming fast. "Because I want to be close to you," he finally admitted, averting his eyes.

Lucy's heart melted at his words. _Could he possibly feel the same way I do?_ She dared to hope. Her lips turning up in a soft smile, she reached up to brush her fingers across his chest. Her breath was cool on his abdomen as her fingers tickled down, and Natsu had to clench his teeth in order to suppress a groan. "Luce," he chastised when he couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed her wrist to stop her and sat up with a start, his body trembling.

Tears immediately shone in Lucy's eyes as her arm went limp and she drooped her head. "I knew it," she breathed, the tears falling down her cheeks.

"Knew what?"

Swallowing, Lucy quickly wrapped the towel tightly around her. She slid off the table onto unsteady feet, feeling his rejection keenly with every sense of her being. "I just knew," she reiterated.

Sliding off the table right after her, Natsu gripped her shoulders. "What are you talking about, Luce?"

Her eyes closed at his touch and she let him shake her gently. "You say you want to be close to me," she hiccupped again suddenly, "but when I'm offering to go to bed with you, you shy away."

Natsu's grip on her shoulders increased. "You think I'm shying away?"

"What _are_ you doing then?"

Grinding his teeth against the sudden anger in his chest, Natsu bent and brushed his lips against hers. He immediately pulled away, his eyes wide in surprise of his own actions.

"Natsu?" she asked, her fingertips grazing her lips.

"I-I-I can't," he breathed, and turned from her. He all but ran from the room, slamming the door behind him and leaning against it. His head fell back and hit the door with a thud, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. Behind the door he could hear Lucy stifle cries, hear her sniffling. _She's crying and I'm the reason why,_ he berated himself. _How can I be so stupid? She's throwing herself at me! Even I can see that! But this isn't right... She's had too much to drink…_ Running his hands through his hair, and down his face, he groaned, letting his fists fall to the door with another thud. With a grunt, he pushed himself off of the door and turned back around to face it. "Luce?"

"Leave me alone."

"Luce, come on."

"Go away, Natsu!"

"You don't understand."

"What's there to understand?"

He opened the door and leveled her with his eyes – so green they looked black. "You say these things now," he breathed, "but I won't do anything you might regret later."

"Why would I regret anything?"

"Because you've been drinking."

"Natsu." Her voice was quiet and low, tinged with sadness and some other emotion he couldn't quite place.

Rather than answer her, he simply stood, staring openly with his hands hanging limply at his sides. He wanted this. He had wanted it for longer than he even realized, but this was _Lucy_. _His_ Lucy. He couldn't hurt her, even if that meant ignoring his own desires.

His chest heaved with each breath as though he were fighting an internal battle. Lucy watched him, trying to hide her interest, but not able to in her inebriated state. Her eyes trailed down from his broad shoulders and chest, to his tightly toned abs, the muscles narrowing down toward his hips as though hinting toward what was below the towel. It was not the first time she had appraised his half-naked body, but even so, a blush crept into her cheeks despite their current predicament.

"Luce, please don't cry," he murmured, finally moving forward as he slammed the door shut behind him. He stepped close to her, closer than he would normally stand. The scent of her tears was sharp and salty in the air and it made his lip curl in the slightest as he looked down at her. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and open, wavering as she fought to keep the tears at bay. Without thinking, he cupped her cheeks in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears from beneath her eyes. Her eyes closed at his touch, her hands coming up to rest on his. "Don't cry," he repeated, and bent to brush his lips against her tears.

His lips were on her skin before he realized what he was doing. Her eyelashes tickled his lip as he tasted the gentle saltiness of her tears. She grew rigid beneath his hands at first, but when he moved to get the tears from the other side, she relaxed, letting out a soft sigh. "Please, don't cry," he whispered again as he pulled away. She was helpless in his arms, her hands gently resting on his where he held her face, her eyes trusting and closed, her lips slightly parted. He hesitated only a moment before he took a deep breath and pressed his lips to hers. This kiss was not just a simple brush of the lips like before. This time, he pressed his lips gently and purposefully to hers. The moment she started to return the kiss, a shiver went down his spine. Her hands cautiously moved from his to his neck, pulling him closer as she stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He moved one hand through her hair to the back of her neck, while the other wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him as the kissed deepened. The moment she felt his lips part, hers parted with them, their tongues touching each other shyly, as one of Lucy's hands moved to plunge into his hair.

Natsu was losing what sense of self-control he had, all thoughts of resistance gone, as Lucy's body pressed against his, her arms pulling him closer as they kissed. This was his first kiss, and if he remembered correctly, it was her first too, which only made his heart pound even more. The moment she groaned softly, her fingers gripping his hair gently, he turned, pressing her back against the massage table. He suddenly found himself craving her, wanting to taste her and see if she tasted as good as she smelled, and so he broke off the kiss, moving his mouth to her neck.

Lucy's head dropped to the side as Natsu's lips touched her neck, planting firm but soft kisses along her skin to her collarbone. He was pressing into her, his hips pressing her back into the table pleasantly. Now there was no mistaking how he felt about the situation. _How did this happen,_ she kept asking herself. This is what she wanted, had wanted for so long she couldn't remember not wanting it, but she was so certain he didn't feel the same way, especially after he pushed her away just a moment before. She thought he wouldn't understand any of this, but he seemed to be fully aware and confident in what he was doing. _Was he really just trying to be a gentleman?_ The idea made her smile, but she didn't want a gentleman right now…

Natsu's mouth found its way back to hers, and she returned the kiss hungrily, eliciting a deep groan from Natsu that made her smile. She clung to him, her breasts pressing against his chest as she arched her back. He leaned forward, bracing them up with one arm while the other wrapped around her waist, tilting her back so that her toes came off the ground. Her legs parted, allowing him to slide between them as he leaned over her, gently depositing her on her back with her legs dangling off the side of the table. She wanted him to continue, and drug her fingers along his sides to encourage him to do so, as his hand finally left her waist and made its way to the top of her towel.

This was the moment. It was stop here or there would be no stopping. Natsu knew this and hesitated, his fingers gripping the edge of Lucy's towel. He wanted to rip it from her, but his thoughts from earlier encroached on his raging passion. If they did this, what would happen to their relationship? What would happen to their friendship? The thought that their friendship could be ruined by their actions scared him more than the fiercest battle, more than even the worst of Erza's threats. Lucy sensed his hesitation and drew one of her legs up, brushing it along his side as she broke off the kiss. Both of them were breathing heavily. She looked up at him with hooded eyes, while he looked down at her with eyes that were wide and more than a little confused.

"Did you mean what you said before?" she whispered, her cheeks instantly darkening. If she were asking anyone other than Natsu, they would have had trouble understanding her.

"When I said what?" he asked, a shiver working its way down his spine as their hips pressed together comfortably. Lucy's arms were still wrapped around his neck and kept him from pulling away.

"When you told me to come to bed with you."

Her voice was huskier than normal and Natsu stared into her eyes trying to figure out what she thought he meant when he said that. He had said it innocently enough, at least, that's the way it seemed, but he couldn't deny that he wanted to take her to bed and do a whole lot more than sleep. "Yes," he admitted.

Lucy continued to look at him like she was trying to figure him out, blinking several times. "Aren't you sharing a room?" she asked pointedly – the girls were sharing one large suite.

Natsu felt blood rush to his cheeks. "Would it matter if we were?" Lucy bit her lip and it caused him to shiver. "No," he finally answered.

Giggling, Lucy practically jumped into his arms, her lips hungrily finding his and eliciting a deep groan from Natsu that made her smile. "Then take me to bed," she purred, pulling away so she could coyly look up at him.

Natsu would like to say that he tried harder to resist, that he had argued against taking her to his room, but in the end the look in her eyes and her body pressed against his won and without a second thought, he scooped her into his arms like a princess and went to the door. He checked the hallway to make sure they were alone first, before all but running to his room, Lucy giggling happily in his grasp.

Once they were alone in Natsu's room, he gently set her on her feet, his ears suddenly burning as his heart hammered in his chest. The way she was looking at him made him tremble with nervousness, wanting, and in an effort to suppress his own desires. He didn't know how her hand ended up in his, but suddenly she was tugging on it, attempting to pull him after her and away from the door. "Natsu?" she asked softly, her voice wavering as he stood rooted in place.

His brows furrowed, Natsu swallowed. Lucy had never looked more beautiful to him than she did then, her hair still slightly damp and messy, her skin glistening softly in the dim light, tinged with pink, her lips full and slightly pouting, nothing but a soft white towel concealing the rest of her from view. It made what he wanted all that more exciting, and all that more terrifying at the same time. "Luce," he breathed, pulling on her hand to bring her back to him.

Lucy found herself pulled with such force that she let out a small squeak before she was pressed tightly against Natsu. Before she even registered what was happening, he spun, pressing her back against the door. His hips pressed into hers as his free hand rested on the door next to her head. Their foreheads touched gently and Lucy could feel the rapid rise and fall of his shoulders with his heavy breaths. Her hands came up to rest on his chest gently and she could feel his heart pounding beneath her hands. She smiled up at him softly when she realized his heart's anxious pounding matched her own.

Blood darkening her cheeks, Lucy reached to his waist, running her fingertips along the top of his towel. His eyes darkened immediately and she couldn't help but smile when he sucked in a breath. "You think I'm doing this because I've been drinking," she began and he immediately started to pull back. She stopped him. "But you're wrong." When still he hesitated, she pulled her towel apart, letting it fall in a pile at their feet. She smiled as his eyes fell and raked over her newfound nakedness before him.

Any and all thought left Natsu the moment Lucy opened her towel. His eyes traveled down her exquisite curves before he pulled his towel off and dropped to her, his lips finding hers with a new sense of urgency that surprised them both. Lucy's heart hammered in her chest, as Natsu's hands suddenly grew bold, cupping her breasts and exploring her curves. He pressed against her in such a way that there was no mistaking his desire, causing butterflies to flutter wildly in her stomach. When his hand slid between her legs and she sucked in a surprised breath, he smiled against her neck, his breath hot on her skin and giving her goose bumps. When he carefully and finally found her, gently pressing into her for the first time, she moaned, gripping his hair tightly as his lips trailed across her collarbone.

Lucy found her own breath coming faster as she gripped Natsu's hair in one hand, his shoulder in the other. His lips were continuing to trail lower, finally capturing her nipple in a soft kiss while his finger worked below. When he pressed a second finger into her, she shivered and pulled his face back up to hers. He chuckled softly when her lips attacked his, but quickly returned her kiss. She was the one to push away from the door, sending them moving in a frenzy for the bed, scarcely managing to avoid tripping over the towels that now littered the floor. Just as the backs of his legs hit the bed, Natsu gripped Lucy's hips and spun, collapsing onto the bed in a glorious heap.

They pulled apart as they collapsed onto the bed, both of them giggling pleasantly and nervously. Once again, the gravity of what they were about to do pressed down upon Natsu's shoulders and his smile withered away. He looked down at Lucy smiling below him, his eyes open and serious, as his hand cupped her cheek. "Are you sure about this, Luce?" he asked, his voice soft and gruff.

Lucy's smile softened but remained as she searched his eyes. He was trembling beneath her hands. She cupped his cheeks in both her hands, her heart soaring when his eyes closed at her touch. "I've never been more sure about anything," she whispered, Natsu's eyes snapping open at her words. She pulled him toward her, her legs immediately parting so he could slide between them. He followed with ease, gently lowering himself down on top of her, marveling at how easily they fit together. He brushed against her and instantly shivered as his eyes closed, his body warming and his cheeks darkening. When he opened his eyes, he could see Lucy blushing beneath him, then she smiled shyly, one hand suddenly gripping him from between her legs.

"Luce," he groaned as he shuddered, his eyes closing as he dropped his head to her chest. He couldn't see her smile, but sensed it, as she cautiously started moving her hand. This was just as new to her as it was to him, and she was worried she would ruin it with her inexperience, where he seemed to know exactly what to do (although he had no idea what he was doing either).

In her movements, she brought him against her once more, his length sliding along her in a way that made both of them suck in a breath. She immediately stopped, and Natsu firmly but gently took her hand in his, interlaced his fingers with hers, and pressed it into the bed as he moved to finish what she had started. The moment he slid into her, they both moaned, and Natsu moved to quickly cover her mouth with his. As he advanced, her moan turned into a cry of pain, he stopped, pulling away from her with concern lining his brow.

Lucy's breath came quick and shallow as she felt piercing pain. Her eyes were squeezed shut, but she opened them when Natsu pulled back. The sheer terror on his face caused her to immediately relax as she reached up to cup his cheek once more. "Please, Natsu," she murmured, pulling his face down to hers, "don't stop."

He swallowed as he looked down at her, scarcely concealing the pain he was causing. He was frozen in place until she pressed her hips up, her thumb brushing along his cheek as she pulled him closer. "It won't hurt for long," she breathed before her lips captured his.

Her tongue ran along his lower lip and his will was broken. Returning her kiss with ever more passion, he squeezed her hand in his and pressed forward. He could tell when the pain intensified based on how deeply she kissed him, and how hard she squeezed his hand, but her hips continued to pull him in and he could only oblige until he could go no further. When he was fully enveloped in her, he broke off the kiss, smiling softly at the way she panted beneath him, and kissed a trail of fire down her neck. Her soft skin surrounded him with her delicate scent, reminding him of vanilla, and he let his teeth brush against her neck softly as she gripped his shoulders. It wasn't until her hips pressed into his once more, and she roughly pulled his lips back to hers that he started moving once more.

The moment Natsu started moving within her, Lucy gasped pleasantly. Each movement brought fresh waves of pleasure radiating throughout her body and making her ears burn, her fingers and toes going numb. Soft sounds of ecstasy escaped her lips as Natsu's hand slid down her side to grip her hip. Her legs came up, cradling him between them, as she matched his movements, biting her lip as tension wound up within her.

The slight change in position made Natsu groan deep in his throat as he trembled from the sensations coursing through him. He had never felt anything so delicious, so wonderful before. She squeezed around him to the point of making his vision darken, and he felt tension building within himself to the point he felt he would burst.

 _Not yet,_ he growled to himself, making Lucy moan softly as her teeth gently sunk into his shoulder, her fingernails digging into his back. He was lost then, pulling her hips tightly into his as he buried himself as deeply inside of her as he could, his entire body tensing as his hot seed spilled into her. She trembled beneath him, her breaths shaky and uneven, before his lips hungrily found hers once more.

Lucy had been riding so high herself, biting Natsu in order to suppress a loud cry of pleasure, that Natsu's sudden release took her by surprise, sending her over the brink along with him. She clung to him as he clung to her, drowning their mutual cries of ecstasy in a fiery kiss. She moved in just the slightest beneath him and he tensed again, breaking off the kiss to moan, "Lucy," into the crook of her neck. His breath, hot on her flushed skin, still sent a shiver down her spine.

"Natsu," she breathed, relaxing her legs some and dragging her fingertips along his back.

Several minutes passed in comfortable silence between them, their eyes closed, reveling in the feel of being completely joined as one. Lucy's fingertips continued to tickle along the corded muscle of Natsu's back, tracing the contours and planes of him. He sighed, his weight settling into her even more pleasantly, before he pushed himself up onto his elbows, his hand cupping Lucy's cheek on one side and brushing a strand of hair back from her face with the other. "Luce," he breathed, his eyes dark and serious in the growing darkness of the room. She looked up at him, the heat in her face slowly dissipating, and smiled softly, bringing one hand to cup his cheek as well. He pressed his face into her hand and took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I'm in love with you."

Lucy gently pulled his face down and pressed her lips to his. It was as though he was not still inside her, that they had not just made love for the first time, as she felt shy and cautious, the kiss soft and pure. When she pulled back, she was smiling softly. "I'm in love with you too, Natsu."

They stayed as they were for several more moments; gazing into each other's eyes with an intensity they had not allowed themselves to show before. It was with an unspoken consent that Natsu gently withdrew, rolling to the side and pulling Lucy tightly against him. He planted a gentle kiss on the cap of her shoulder before snuggling into her neck. She smiled and pulled his hand to her chest, holding it with all the love she had felt for a long time but had been too afraid to show. "I'm glad you guys came and crashed our training," Lucy murmured as she settled into his arms, relaxed and completely at ease as darkness overtook the room.

Natsu kissed her neck once more and smiled, nuzzling her with his nose. "Me too."

 _The usual disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters, I just enjoy writing about them. They all belong to Hiro Mashima._

 _A/N: I don't usually put these, but I HAVE to for this one. I had so many ideas for this chapter in particular and probably had it worked out at least 3 different ways before I was mostly satisfied. Obviously I love Nalu! I hope the way this turned out is still good, feel free to leave comments/review. Further chapters may be slower in coming because my muse for this has dwindled, but I do intend to finish with all of them!_


	3. Juvia

_A/N: I've been stuck on this one for a while and normally I don't post updates unless I am 100% satisfied but I really wanted to get this out there (you'll see why and hopefully you'll agree)._

Gray couldn't pinpoint when it actually happened, when he stopped wanting to push the over-affectionate water wizard away, when he found the thought of anyone else touching her repulsive, when he found himself overjoyed with her presence and actively craving her touch. She had been persistent, sure, and sometimes her strong displays of affection still caused him to cringe, but now he was more apt to see the sweetness, the pure devotion and unadulterated love she felt for him based on her actions. The fact that someone would push her away because of her rain angered him; angered him because it had hurt her. She was strong, far too strong to be so readily hurt, and it made him want to protect her.

"Gray?" Juvia asked softly, looking at him nervously and expectantly from the middle of the massage room.

"Yeah?" he answered lamely, making sure the door was locked behind him before he stepped forward.

"Juvia knows you are only doing this because Erza ordered it," she began.

"That's not true," he interrupted, taking another step closer to her. "It may have been Erza's idea, but I would love to do something to repay all the nice things you've done for me."

Tears shone in Juvia's eyes, but they were happy tears. She never expected him to say something so kind. "Juvia didn't think you noticed."

Gray laughed and brushed a stand of hair back over her shoulder. "It's impossible not to," he admitted honestly.

Not sure what to think, Juvia looked up at him, her clear blue eyes reflecting how much she cared and how much she loved the dark man standing before her. He was still quite the enigma, still distant when she wanted him close, still spurning her even when she saw her attentions light up his eyes. "Thank you, Gray-sama," she breathed.

Swallowing, Gray nervously indicated the table behind her. "Go ahead and lie down," he instructed. "Loosen your towel so it drapes over you," he added, thinking of a complication Natsu and Lucy had ignored. "Let me know when you're comfortable."

Her cheeks darkening, Juvia obediently turned to do as bidden, somewhat disappointed when Gray turned around like a gentleman. Her hands shaking, she loosened her towel and climbed onto the table, making sure her towel lay across her hips. Satisfied that she was covered (even though she would gladly be naked), she lied face down with her arms crossed beneath her head. "Juvia is ready," she announced once she was in proper position.

Gray turned, his heart hammering in his ears, and had to swallow at the look of Juvia before him. She looked innocent enough, her nearly translucent skin all but glowing across her flawless back. He could see the swell and roundness of her hips beneath the towel, and his eyes were immediately drawn to her long legs, easily recalling the image of her blue guild symbol high up on her left thigh. The towel covered it, and as he swallowed again, he realized he was grateful it was hidden from his view; otherwise he might find himself touching it.

"G-Gray?" she whispered, turning her head to the side when she heard nothing but silence.

Clearing his throat nervously, Gray stepped forward, downing some wine from the bottle Juvia had brought with her. "I'm here," he answered easily enough, thoughtfully pouring some oil into his hands before pressing them to her back.

Surprised at his cool touch, Juvia gasped, her cheeks immediately darkening when he pulled his hands away with a clumsy, "I'm sorry! Cold hands."

Juvia nearly turned over before realizing she would expose herself. She settled for pressing up slightly on her elbows and looking at him over her shoulder. Her own cheeks were warm and pink, but she was relieved to see his were even more so. "No, please, don't apologize to Juvia, Gray-sama. Your cold is like Juvia's rain." Her voice was soft and quiet, her tone gentle, bringing his dark eyes to look into hers.

Her words resonated within him – her rain, her rain that he had come to love. Her rain that had driven so many away from her, pushing her to the extreme of loneliness that led her to Phantom Lord. Although he hated that she had been put through such a dark time, part of him was thankful, because it had led her to him. That encounter is what brought her to Fairy Tail, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn't imagine Fairy Tail without her. "You're right, Juvia," he whispered, pressing his hands back to her back. He saw goose bumps break out on her skin, but she closed her eyes happily and dropped her head back down onto her arms, bringing a soft smile to his lips. He left his hands where they were, allowing her body heat to transfer to his cool hands a moment, before he resumed his gentle kneading of her sore muscles.

After a while he found a knot between her shoulder blades and focused on it, leaning forward to increase his pressure. She groaned beneath him and he smiled, increasing his efforts. "Erza-san is very strong," she muttered into her arms.

Gray almost couldn't catch her words. "She is." He hesitated before adding, "But you seemed to hold your own against her today."

Juvia chuckled beneath him, then sucked in a breath as he dug in once more. "That's because Erza wasn't going full strength."

Despite himself, Gray blanched. "You sure about that?"

Nodding her head against her arms, Juvia grunted, "Uh hmm," in reply.

"Damn," he breathed, letting up the pressure as he finally felt the knot disappear beneath his hands. He took the opportunity to apply more oil and moved out to her arms. Again Juvia initially shivered at his touch, but he could see her lips were pulled up in a smile.

"Juvia agrees," she breathed.

They continued in silence for some time, Gray working his way down from her left shoulder to her fingers. Juvia's cheeks darkened as he pressed his thumbs firmly into her palm, stretching the delicate bones and tendons of her hand, but she kept her eyes gently closed, her breathing deep and even. When he moved around the table to repeat the process on her other arm, she turned her head to follow him, her eyes open when he got back into position.

Seeing her eyes on him set butterflies loose in Gray's stomach. He had been nervous at first, but as he focused more on his task before him, he had been able to relax. Now that her deep blue eyes were focused on him once more, the anxiety returned. "This is nice," Juvia breathed, her eyes watching him as he took another swig of wine. He offered her the bottle this time, somehow relieved when she also took a long drink.

"It is," he agreed, dipping his head softly before pressing his fingers back to her flesh. Her eyes drifted closed once more as she sighed, her arm going limp in his grasp as he started on her shoulder, focusing on the point where her shoulder met her neck – the place she happened to hold the most tension.

"Gray?" Juvia asked quietly as he worked his way down her arm.

"Yeah?" he all but grunted.

"Why did you come?"

Her question was simple enough, almost too simple, but Gray knew exactly what she was asking. She wanted to know why the guys crashed their training trip, why they were incapable of leaving them alone for even a week. Did he even know the answer to that? There really hadn't been a discussion when Natsu broached the subject. He had simply said the girls were going training without them, so he wanted to go too, _training_ as just the guys. No one had been fooled; no one had even pretended to be fooled. They had all simply immediately agreed to come with (even Jellal – _that_ had been a surprise). While they hadn't discussed their motivations, it seemed obvious enough, even if they tried to deny it.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked softly, feeling heat rush to his cheeks.

Juvia's eyes slowly opened and he stopped his movements, his thumbs once more pressing into her wrist in preparation to move down her hand. Her pulse was easily palpable at her wrist, the rate picking up the more they looked at each other. "Not to Juvia," she answered softly.

Clearing his throat, Gray forced himself to pull his eyes away from hers. _How does she keep cornering me like this,_ he berated himself. _Why is it so bad if she knows how I feel? Didn't I tell Erza I would come clean? Didn't I promise I would tell her what I want?_ "I'm surprised," he grumbled, pressing his thumbs into her hands and feeling her small bones practically groan in response. Her cheeks only darkened at his touch.

"Juvia knows why she wanted you to come, but not why you came," her voice was scarcely above a whisper.

Gray ground his teeth together. She wasn't going to let him off the hook this time, was she? At his continued silence, she swallowed a lump in her throat. Her skin losing its strength without her realizing it, Gray suddenly found himself pressing into water, his fingers touching before he dropped her hand in surprise. "Juvia!"

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, returning her body to normal with tears shining in her eyes. Gray's head cocked to the side as she referred to herself in first person for a change, a smile playing with his lips. He immediately leaned forward, brushing his thumb across her still slightly shimmering cheek.

"Tell me why you think we came," he offered once her eyes met his once more. To lessen some of the tension, he moved to the end of the table, taking her foot in his hand. "And I'll tell you if you're right."

Juvia shivered at his touch, but not because she was cold – the more he touched her the warmer his hands became. Now her mind raced as fast as her heart pounded, her skin tingling from his touch. She was suddenly glad he wasn't near her face; glad he couldn't see the brilliant blush darkening her cheeks. It was easier for her to think more clearly when he wasn't so close. "I would like to think you came because you were afraid you would miss us."

Gray was pressing his thumbs into the arches of her foot, feeling small knots slipping beneath his fingers. She sighed at the strength in his touch, burying her head facedown as her hair splayed over her arms like a waterfall. "We were afraid we'd miss you," he admitted softly, his eyes on his task as his cheeks warmed. "We've all been so close for so long, been through so much together, that it doesn't feel right when we're apart."

His words hit Juvia's heart in such a way she actually pulled a hand under her to hold in front of her chest, her fist clenched. Tears stung her eyes as she closed them happily. "Does Gray truly mean that?"

Gray's hands slid up her calf, shooting tingling sensations down into Juvia's toes. She risked picking her head up once more, turning slightly to peer at him over her shoulder as she searched for the truth of his words in his eyes. His dark eyes met hers head on, more strong and sure than she'd ever before seen them in regards to their "relationship". "Of course I mean it," he retorted.

"Gray," she breathed, her cheeks heating as her lips curled into a soft smile. "My darling," she began.

He pulled his hands away from her and went to pull them down his face until he remembered they were covered in oil. "There you go again, Juvia," he sighed in exasperation. "If we're going to do this, I can't have you melting and muttering such things all the time." He pulled his eyes from hers and looked at his feet, his cheeks hot and red.

His play on words was not lost on her, although she wasn't sure if it was intentional or not. She decided she didn't care as she sat up, pulling the towel to her chest, and turned to face him, tucking her feet up beside her. When he continued to look away from her, she brought a hand to his cheek, gently turning him to look at her. He didn't brush her hand away, or even shy away from it as she had come to expect. Instead, he covered her hand with his, pressing his cheek into her hand as he finally rose his dark eyes to meet hers. "Gray," she breathed again, at a loss for any other words.

Gray acted before he could talk himself out of it. He bent down, pressing his lips to hers while his arms wrapped around her waist. The moment her arms moved around his neck he straightened, pulling her off the table slightly with him to achieve a more comfortable position before setting her back on it. His hips settled between her legs and the only thing holding her towel up was her chest pressed tightly against his.

It was Juvia who made the first real move, parting her lips in an effort to deepen the kiss, which Gray quickly accepted. When their tongues touched, shyly at first, Juvia lost some of the turgor to her skin, partially turning into water before she caught herself. Gray said nothing, just pulled back only enough to kiss her neck, sending shivers down her spine. It was then that he noticed her towel had fallen when she partially turned to water. "Um, Juvia," he muttered, standing up and scratching the back of his neck as he averted his eyes.

The pink in Gray's cheeks prompted Juvia to look down and she gasped, quickly pulling the towel back up as her face flamed. She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, trying to gauge how to read Gray's reaction. He was flustered, obviously, but was it a good kind of flustered? Should she press him for more? He didn't want her to be too clingy, but weren't they just going somewhere? Why did she have to think so much so quickly all the time?! Still not sure what to do, she slid off the table, forcing Gray to take a step back as she did so, before turning her back to him to readjust the towel. She was just tucking the top back in on itself when she felt Gray step behind her, his presence emanating coolness into her back. Her hands immediately froze, still holding onto the towel.

Gray's heart was racing. It wasn't necessarily because her towel had slipped, although that had certainly been a part of it, but because he was truly nervous. They'd finally kissed, _finally_ , and now he wasn't sure what to do next or if there even should be a next. His body acted without him while he tried to figure out what to do, and when he was suddenly close behind her, it felt perfectly natural to place his hands on her waist and draw her back against him. She came easily, gliding back to close the small space between them. His hands slid forward, across the flat of her stomach, before he leaned down, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin in the hollow at her neck. She trembled softly beneath his hands, but she nuzzled her head into his and it made him smile.

Juvia certainly wasn't expecting Gray to hold her like he was, not that she would ever complain. It was intimate, his breath cool on her neck, and even as goose bumps rose on her skin she let her hands fall to his arms, hugging him back.

The smell of berries faintly clung to Juvia's skin, drawing Gray closer to her neck. Before he realized it, his nose nudged her, and she immediately dropped her head away, her hair falling over her opposite shoulder, and exposing her alabaster skin. Her hands tightened on him in just the slightest, but it was enough to give him courage to plant a kiss at the pulse on her neck. She shivered at his touch, a soft giggle escaping her before she could clamp her mouth shut. It only encouraged Gray more, his lips pulling back in a smile before he moved higher up her neck, kissing a light trail up to behind her ear.

"Gray!" Juvia gasped, wiggling as his breath tickled her ear. His resounding chuckle was rich to her ears.

His smile widening, Gray squeezed Juvia's sides, eliciting a squeal from her as she tried to slip from his grasp. He merely tightened his hold and she stilled. She could have easily lost form and gotten away if she truly wanted to. It was clear she didn't want to. "If I didn't know better, I would think you liked that," he whispered as a tease, gently nudging her head the other way so he could claim the other side of her neck.

"You tickle Juvia," she whispered, obediently tilting her head the other way as her eyes drifted shut.

Gray gently kissed the other side of her neck, his heart warming as she leaned back into him. If he were to step away from her she would surely fall over. He had no intention of stepping away. When he finally brought his eyes back to her face, he smiled at the look of peace and bliss on her features. Her lips were slightly parted, her eyes closed, and a soft touch of pink darkened her normally pale cheeks. He was trying to recall a time that he thought her more beautiful.

He had had enough of looking. He had kept himself to looking for long enough, unwilling or too afraid to let her know his true feelings. Now that he was finally being honest with her (and with himself), there was so much he wanted. Going back to where they began, he loosed her with one arm and tickled his fingers along her collarbone and up to her neck. He took his time in tracing swirly lines up to her chin, smiling when Juvia sighed and shivered. His touch was so soft it might have been a feather as he gently brushed his fingers along her cheek, turning her chin towards him as he went. Her cheeks grew warmer beneath his touch, but she left her eyes closed, gasping when he brushed his lips over hers once more.

When Juvia did not close her lips to his touch but rather welcomed him, her lips softer and fuller than he could have ever imagined, he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Her hand came up to run her fingers through his hair, and when his tongue brushed lovingly against hers, she groaned softly, feeling like she would melt.

"Don't you melt on me now," he breathed in between kisses as though he could read her thoughts.

Thinking of something very crude she _could_ say, Juvia instead smiled softly and pulled his lips back to hers. She turned to face him and stepped back, bumping into the massage table at her back and pulling him with her so that his body pressed into hers. They hit the table so hard it groaned, surprising Gray so that he put a hand out to steady them, but she only smiled. Her hands moved to cup his cheeks in her palms as she pressed her hips into his, arching her back slightly since Gray was holding her up with one hand around her waist – she was partly bent backwards. "Juvia doesn't plan on melting," she whispered when they finally had to separate in order to breathe.

Gray's eyes pierced hers like his ice lance. He was usually serious, certainly one of the more serious ones on his team, but she had seen his carefree side, his wild side. Which one was looking at her now? It was a look she hadn't seen before except perhaps in her dreams. "What do you plan on doing, then?" he asked, his voice gruff.

Juvia's eyes widened as her mouth opened in surprise. She certainly hadn't thought this far! She hadn't expected _anything_ like this to happen! Gray smiled at her uncertainty and gently chucked her under her chin to get her to shut her mouth. "Would you like to go for a walk?" he offered.

Her brows drawing together in a frown, Juvia looked at him in confusion. "A walk?"

Clearing his throat nervously, Gray released her and scratched the back of his neck. Had he said something wrong? "Sure," he shrugged. "Unless you would like me to finish your massage?"

Juvia's face turned a deep red, rivaling Erza's hair. "Um, didn't Gray-sama already finish my massage?" her voice was small and light in her nervousness.

A smile crossing his lips once more, Gray's shoulders relaxed. "There's always more I could do."

Thoughts and images Juvia often fought to suppress ran through her mind, making her shiver. She saw Gray massaging places no one had dared touch before, caressing and kissing her skin as he went. She saw him leaning over her, lying bare beneath him on the massage table, his mouth tracing where his hands had already been. Then she saw him shedding his towel and just about fell over. "Oh!" she cried, slapping her hands to her cheeks.

"What?" Somehow Juvia's cheeks darkened even more and she turned, fumbling for the wine bottle to still her suddenly trembling hands. "Juvia?" Gray asked, his voice lined with concern when she didn't answer him.

Still shaking, she all but forced the wine bottle into his hands, not relenting until he finally drank more as well. When he still looked at her in utter confusion, she drank more, then put her hands on his shoulders and turned, pushing him back into the massage table until he had no choice but to sit on it. Using his shoulders for balance, she then hitched her towel up higher around her legs and climbed onto his lap, straddling him. His hands hovered around her waist, ready to catch her in case she fell, but didn't touch her until she settled onto him, her legs comfortably wrapped around his waist. "What," he began.

Smiling at her boldness, Juvia slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, her lips crushing against his with such force he groaned. Her fingers plunged into his hair, giving him goose bumps as his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She shifted then, slipping her tongue even deeper into his mouth as her hips ground into his. The soft intake of breath he tried to hide only made her more confident. When they pulled back this time, she was the one to continue the kiss, planting soft kisses first on the corner of his mouth, then at the scar above his left eyebrow, then along his neck. He sighed contentedly at her touch, his hands cautiously leaving her waist to reach under her legs. His hands at first made her gasp, but then she shifted again and his grip tightened. "Juvia," he breathed.

"Yes, Gray-sama?" she asked, planting kisses along his collarbone now.

"I don't," he had to suck in a breath as she tickled his neck, "I don't know if this is a good idea."

Unperturbed, she slid her hands down over his arms, enjoying the feel of corded muscle beneath her fingers. She came to rest at the top of his towel, and now he did pull back, his eyes dark as he held her gaze. "Why not?" she finally asked, not moving her hand.

"We, we just now even discussed our… feelings." His ears burned. Embarrassment flooded through him from talking about _feelings._ "I-I… _respect_ you."

Juvia's shoulders fell, just enough that Gray noticed. Since when is the guy the one to pull back? Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? "Juvia knows. Juvia respects you too."

He had to swallow, his heart hammering in his chest. His mind was telling him no, but his body was certainly saying something else. "I know," he fidgeted, running a hand through his hair nervously. "It's just, really?" She finally removed her hand from the top of his towel, making some of the tension ease from Gray's shoulders only to return with a vengeance when she forced him to his back. "This is not what I was talking about!" he exclaimed as her hands pinned his chest.

"Gray-sama told Juvia not to melt," she chastised. "I'm not melting."

"You could say so!"

"Why does Gray say such things?" she asked, finally letting the hurt show in her voice. She released him, her hands smacking her thighs dejectedly, and sat back, looking at the floor. Her hips still straddled his, the only thing separating them was Gray's towel, and they were so close she could feel his true desire, feel his stomach tense when she shifted her weight. "All Juvia wants is to show Gray how much she loves him."

The pain in Juvia's eyes was like a sword to the chest. Had he just hurt her? "Juvia," he breathed, sitting up from under her once more. He placed one hand comfortably at her back, and the other he cupped to her cheek. "I already know. You don't have to do anything to prove that to me." He waited until her melancholy blue eyes met his. "Not until we're both ready."

 _I've been waiting for this!_ She wanted to scream at him, wanted to hit him, wanted to shake him until he had even the slightest clue what she felt like pining over him, constantly fearing for competition for his affections, waiting and wanting something he didn't seem to give a second thought to. "So Gray," she sniffed, feeling tears stinging her eyes, "Gray doesn't love Juvia?"

He jumped at her words, squeezing her in his surprise. "That's _not_ what I said."

 _But you didn't say you did either,_ her eyes accused even as his brain mocked him with the same words.

"Shit," he cursed, dropping his eyes from hers as his whole body flushed warm, starting with his toes and working its way up. "Fuck," he cursed again, trying to psych himself up. Despite the circumstances, Juvia smiled softly at his discomfort. "Yes, Juvia, I do love you." _Way to ruin the moment, Jack Ass,_ he cursed himself.

The second the words left his mouth, Juvia all but leapt into the air with a happy squeal, not realizing what her reaction did to Gray beneath her until he grunted and winced. For once, she was too excited to even apologize as she clasped her hands before her chest, her eyes closing happily as she continued to wiggle. Her heart was soaring higher than she ever thought possible. "Gray!" she shrieked.

Scarcely suppressing a groan at Juvia's enthusiastic wriggling, Gray's hands clamped onto her hips to still her. His firm grip, nearly bruising in its intensity, ground his hips into hers in a way that took her breath away. "G-Gray?" she gasped, bringing her eyes back up to his.

The smile slowly left Juvia's face at the way Gray's eyes were in shadow, shrouded by his hair. Every muscle in his body felt tight beneath her, like he was ready to snap. "I think we need to go for a walk," he murmured, still holding her firmly in place.

"D-did Juvia do something wrong?" she asked nervously, her fingers gently brushing against his bare chest.

Slowly relaxing his vice-like hold on her, Gray's shoulders relaxed and his eyes came out from the shadow. One hand brushed her hair back over her shoulder while the other moved to her lower back, spanning its surface and pressing her to him gently. "Quite the opposite," he whispered, a soft smile playing with the corners of his mouth before his lips claimed hers. "Which is why we need to get out of here."

Juvia's mouth fell open and blood slowly flooded her cheeks. Feeling bold, her hands traced back up his arms to loop lazily around his shoulders. "Do we have to?" she asked, wiggling her hips just once.

Gray had to swallow before he could answer her and that small act made Juvia's heart pound. She had no idea she could hold such power over him! Him! The one who held such incredible power over her all this time! It made her want to scream for joy. _Unless you want me to take you on the damn massage table,_ he thought to himself, but shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Yes," he answered simply instead. Without waiting for her to answer, his hands moved to the backs of her thighs to support her, and he stood, carrying her in his arms and heading for the door.

"Gray?" Juvia asked, pointedly looking down at the two of them, clad only in towels.

Gray followed her eyes and felt his face flush. "Right," he muttered and slowly lowered her feet to the floor. "Robes first." At Juvia's slightly dejected frown, he bent to whisper in her ear, "Then walk, then my room." Juvia's happy gasp and grin were all the encouragement he needed to search the massage room for two robes that would fit their purposes.

 _A/N: Please don't hate me! As much as I LOVE Gruvia, I have issues writing them being intimate! Haha. But don't fret, this will not be their last chapter! Just for the time being…_

 _Again, the usual disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. They all belong to Hiro Mashima._


	4. Levy

_A/N: It would seem I've been sitting on this for a while now, not realizing that it's done… I'm sorry for the long delay, and as promised, this story has NOT been abandoned! Thank you all who have favorited and/or followed this story. It's not done, yet! I hope you enjoy the update!_

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"Ow!"

"Come on, I'm barely even doing anything!"

"Mmm, but it still hurts!"

"Gee hee."

Levy turned, her brown eyes flashing, to glare at the iron dragon slayer standing beside her. His large hands on her back nearly spanned the surface. "You're enjoying this a little too much," she reprimanded.

Gajeel's red eyes flashed and narrowed. "I thought that was the whole point."

Her face immediately darkening, Levy had to suppress the urge to stand up – she'd lose her towel. " _I'm_ supposed to be the one enjoying it!" she snapped.

"Aren't you?" he quipped, raising one pierced eyebrow.

Averting her eyes, Levy huffed. She _was_ enjoying it, even if his firm hands were also hurting her at the same time – she was just _that_ sore. What was so infuriating was that he seemed to understand that perfectly; understand it and want to rub it in, in typical aggravating Gajeel fashion. When she remained silent, Gajeel stilled his hands on her back – he had been furiously digging at a knot just beneath her right shoulder. "Shorty," he started.

She ignored him.

"Shrimp," he tried again.

She still ignored him.

When Levy continued to ignore him, Gajeel completely removed his hands from her back, noting the slight way she twitched when he did so and smiling. "Pipsqueak!" he shouted, his rumbly voice loud in the small room as he pressed his fists to his hips.

Gasping at his sudden outburst, Levy rolled over, her cheeks flaming, and clasped her hands over Gajeel's mouth in restraint. "Gajeel!" she cried.

Getting exactly the reaction he wanted, Gajeel, _"Gee hee'd"_ behind Levy's hand, his lips curling against her skin. Knowing it would only aggravate her more, his blood-red eyes looked into her gentle brown ones, making sure he had her attention, before his gaze fell to her exposed upper half with a mischievous glint in their red depths. The moment Levy realized her mistake, she gasped, throwing her arm over herself, and immediately rolled back over, gathering her towel in the process.

"You know what? This was a bad idea. I don't know what Erza was thinking," she grumbled, her heart pounding so loudly in her ears she could hear little else, except for her own inner voice yelling, _Oh Mavis! Did that just happen? What on Earthland was I thinking?! I played right into his hands! I have to get out of here!_

Seeing the disgruntled bluette jump from the massage table and wrap herself up in her towel, Gajeel's smile immediately left his face. He'd pushed the joke too far and he knew it. "Hold on a minute, Levy!" he argued, not bothering to use any of his numerous pet names for her.

Immediately picking up on the correct use of her name, Levy turned to look at Gajeel over her shoulder. His cheeks were flushed, the skin around his piercings slightly pinker than the rest of his face. What made it all worthwhile was the simple fact that he was having trouble meeting her eyes and he looked… chagrined. "Yes?" she asked, keeping her voice light and innocent. When he said nothing, she cocked her head to the side, still holding onto the towel wrapped around her. "If you have something to say, then say it," she demanded, her voice surprisingly strong – a trick she'd picked up after dealing with the iron dragon slayer for months. Ironically, he only tolerated such big talk from her and Lily… "Otherwise I'm going back to the baths."

Gajeel watched with wide eyes as Levy turned as though to make good on her threat and head back to the baths. Her hand was on the doorknob before he could move, throwing himself into motion and planting his hand firmly on the door right beside her, slamming it closed. Levy looked up at him with wide and innocent eyes, sufficiently startled, even if it was the reaction she had been looking for. "I'm sorry," he grumbled, staring at the floor so that his eyes were cast in shadow.

"Excuse me?"

He ground his teeth and forced himself to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Smiling, Levy raised herself up on her tiptoes and patted the top of his head. "See? Now was that so hard?" she teased, slipping under his arm and moving back to the massage table. Before she lay down once more, she took several swigs of wine, needing the extra courage. Gajeel came up behind her and took the bottle from her when she went to set it back down, greedily drinking from it as well.

"I'll try not to hurt you," he promised.

Laying down on her stomach and spreading the towel out across her hips, Levy shrugged. "I know you'll try." The sound of Gajeel grinding his teeth was audible this time and Levy smiled. She loved being able to aggravate the man who tried to act like nothing bothered him. It showed he cared in her opinion. When his hands touched her again, they were considerably gentler, even though he still elicited pain in numerous places. "Hey Gajeel?" she whispered as he moved to her neck. She often had pain in her neck and shoulders from how she sat when reading too much.

"Yeah?" he grunted. Although her neck was often a source of pain for her, he had to use a lot of force to make a difference, and he was working hard.

"Thank you."

Gajeel looked at the back of her head, trying to read the little bookworm below him. Just when he thought he had her all figured out, she'd go and do something that would completely throw him for a loop. It was as aggravating as it was alluring. "You're welcome, Shorty."

His voice was deep and quiet when he spoke, rumbling deep in his chest. It made Levy smile as she buried her face in her arms, scarcely managing to hide the heat rising in her cheeks. The giant man could be so brash, unrefined, and downright rude; but she was the one who saw the other side to him – the softer side he rarely (if ever) allowed anyone else to see. Despite their rough start, she had been drawn to him from the beginning, even when she was still afraid of him. He had been a mystery, an enigma to unravel and solve. She'd recognized his actions for what they were – the act of a man lost, and immediately wanted to help him find himself, find his place in the world where he could heal his past aches and grow anew. The fact she had rapidly grown attracted to him had been purely coincidental, or so she claimed.

She was pulled from her musings when Gajeel found a particularly painful spot and she sucked in a pained breath. He knew of the aches in her neck and shoulders reading often gave her. She was grateful for his large hands and incredible strength with how he tackled her neck with ease – something no one else had been able to do until she met him. As his fingers spread, pressing into her neck and along the base of her skull, she hummed happily, making Gajeel's heart jump in his chest.

"You know, Shorty, maybe you read too much," he chastised after spending nearly twenty minutes working on her neck before he felt comfortable moving on to her shoulders.

"Of course, you would say that. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen you with a book." Glowering at her back beneath him, Gajeel squeezed her shoulder slightly harder than was necessary. "OW!"

"Gee hee. Sorry, _Princess_."

Levy kicked her foot and swatted at him, but otherwise didn't move. "Oh! Did I offend _The Great Gajeel_?"

Gajeel _tch'd_ and shook his head. "Please. I read more than you realize."

Smiling, Levy turned her head to the side, so she could look at him. Gajeel realized his mistake when it was too late and froze. "Since when?"

"You want me to continue this massage or not?" he threatened.

Partially rolling over, but careful to conceal herself, Levy grabbed the bottle of wine. Gajeel's hands slipped from her shoulders and down her arms before he pulled them back, looking at her with a furrowed brow. "Of course I want you to continue," she admitted, making his cheeks grow warm. "But I also want to know when you started reading so much."

Avoiding her eyes, Gajeel roughly took the bottle of wine from her, the contents sloshing within. "For a while now, all right?" he snapped, before downing more wine. He certainly couldn't tell her he'd been reading more to try and understand what Levy found so fascinating about books in the first place…

Smiling widely, Levy reached out to touch his arm, scarcely aware of the way her towel slipped and how her arm barely kept her covered. "All right," she breathed, before adding, "Now was that so hard to admit?"

Gajeel's frown deepened, his piercings nearly touching between his brows. This tiny woman beneath him made him feel things he wasn't used to feeling and it both excited him and frustrated him beyond all reason. He wanted to know more about her, and every new thing he discovered about her only intrigued him more. He didn't see her as the small, weak girl he once did – she was so much more than that. "Shorty," he breathed, allowing his fingers to graze down the side of her arm in his distraction. If it weren't for his dragon slayer senses, he would have missed her sharp intake of breath at his touch. She trembled slightly beneath him and it made his heart rate increase. "I'm sorry." _I'm so sorry!_

She didn't need to ask what he was talking about – she knew. Even though he'd already apologized, and she'd already forgiven him _numerous_ times, she knew exactly what that self-loathing in his eyes referred to. "Gajeel," she breathed, finally sitting up beside him and clutching the towel to her chest. "You don't need to apologize for that anymore. That… _incident_ is what brought you to Fairy Tail in the end, and now you're one of us. You're a part of us. I wouldn't trade that for the world."

Her words soothed him just as they always did. He wasn't sure why he always needed reassurance that she didn't secretly harbor hatred toward him for what he did upon their first meeting – maybe because deep down he still hated himself, despite how it had turned out in the end. It was his weakness that he could barely admit to himself let alone anyone else. "How can you say that?" he ground out, forcing himself to meet her honest and open eyes – the brown eyes that always looked upon him with such kindness and caring that he didn't deserve.

She smiled softly, the gentle curl to her lips shy and alluring as she brushed her hair back behind her ear. "Because I know you, Gajeel. If you had wanted to, you could have killed me then, but you didn't. You could have killed Jet and Droy, but you didn't." She reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand, touching him in a more intimate manner than she had ever dared. "You were hiding from your true nature then. You don't have to do that anymore." Her thumb traveled over the piercings on his face and her stomach flipped when his eyes drifted closed and he leaned into her touch. "You wouldn't be here now if you had never attacked us," she breathed, allowing the true melancholy of that statement to enter her voice.

Gajeel's hand came up to grip hers just as his eyes slowly opened. Fierce red met gentle brown, and he melted. Levy had a grip on him from the beginning, he had just refused to admit it – it was _why_ he attacked _her_ after all. She elicited feelings and thoughts in him that he had been unprepared for and that had scared him, so he had lashed out the only way he knew how at the time – with violence. Now, he looked at her in the light she deserved and didn't shy away from what she made him feel, even if he didn't allow himself to show it. "Levy," he breathed, wanting so much to cast aside his indifferent air and show her how he really felt.

Levy didn't know what compelled her to do what she did. Maybe it was something in Gajeel's eyes, or in his voice, or maybe it was the wine, or the massage, or just the desires lurking in her heart. Either way, she gave into them, pulling her legs under her to compensate for their height difference, and taking both of Gajeel's cheeks in her hands. He looked at her in confusion before she sucked in a quick breath and pulled his face to hers, capturing his lips with her own for the slightest of moments before she threw herself back, mortified. "Eh…" She giggled nervously to hide her embarrassment, scratching the back of her neck and wishing she could pretend nothing had happened.

When Gajeel continued to stare at her, his eyes wide in confusion, Levy felt her entire body turn red. Gajeel's lips were parted slightly, his hand still raised as it had been when it was gripping hers. When she giggled anxiously, her laughter broke him free of her spell and he reached for her, pulling her back to him with such force, she squealed when she smacked into his chest. Before she could speak, his lips descended on hers, his hands plunging into the mass that was her blue hair and holding her there. At first Levy stiffened in surprise, but then she relaxed, returning his kiss as she cautiously wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her up, making up for their height difference by turning and pulling her into his lap. It was with an unspoken consent that when his hand moved from her hair to her neck, his thumb brushing against her jaw, that he deepened the kiss and she welcomed it. Her lips parted beneath his without fear, and he slipped his tongue into her mouth gently at first, then more confidently when her tongue shyly brushed back against his.

As their kiss continued, Levy feeling like her lungs might start screaming for air, she slipped her legs around Gajeel's waist in order to be more comfortable. His hands moved from her neck to her waist, pressing her tightly to him while she clung to his shoulders, a soft sound escaping her just as Gajeel breathlessly broke off the kiss. "Maybe I should apologize more often," he teased, a smug smirk rippling across his features.

The brown eyes that had been hooded with desire a moment before snapped to his, flashing with irritation. "Gajeel!" she shrieked, careful to keep her voice down.

He grinned, pulling her tightly to his chest once more. "Don't tell me you didn't like it," he teased, kissing her quickly.

Her cheeks darkening, Levy pouted and looked away, folding her arms defiantly across her chest. "I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered, looking up to the ceiling and feigning innocence. It seemed to work for Natsu sometimes, right?

What worked for Natsu clearly didn't work for her, as Gajeel promptly smacked her on the rear, earning him another shriek in return as she inadvertently jumped forward, her hips grinding into his. This time the play went out of him, Gajeel's eyes darkening like blood as his grip on her tightened. "Shrimp," he growled, the sound deep and utterly feral as his eyes glittered.

Rather than answer him with words, Levy smiled softly, warmth flooding her entire being as she carefully wrapped her arms around his shoulders once more. She was completely unaware of how seductive the gentle curl to her lips truly was until Gajeel crashed his mouth into hers once more with a possessive rumble. She immediately melted into him, submitting completely and without resistance, even when his grip on her tightened, pressing her hips into his, this time with a purposeful grind that made her belly tighten. There was no questioning what she was feeling between them, the hardness pressing between her legs with his movements could only be one thing, but the realization didn't frighten her or bother her like she would have expected. Instead, it sent a thrill through her, making her rake her fingers along his scalp and press her chest against his without thought.

This time, when Gajeel broke off their kiss, he simply moved his mouth to the corner of her jaw, pressing firm kisses there before moving down to her neck. Her eyes still closed, Levy dropped her head back, giving him easier access, as she sighed happily. He was gentle and yet rough, biting before kissing and gently licking her delicate skin, all the while holding her so tightly she could barely breathe. It wasn't until he slid a hand up from her waist, searching for the split in her towel, that he sighed heavily against her throat. "Lev…"

A smile tugged on Levy's lips as she ran her fingers through the iron dragon slayer's wild mane of black hair. Although she would never admit it, this was (and had been) something of a fantasy of hers, and the fact that Gajeel had so quickly and adamantly returned her advance had her heart soaring along with the growing tightness in her core. She no longer thought of the others in the rooms next to them, or of the fact that they weren't entirely alone in this week of training. All she could think of was the man in her arms; the fact that she was _in_ his arms flooding her with a pleasant heat. The warmth pooling in her belly only heightened when she felt Gajeel deeply inhale at her throat, the scent of her arousal reaching him full force with her legs wrapped around his waist and nothing between them but towels.

The fresh scent of Levy's arousal made Gajeel smile against her throat, and without another word, he hooked a hand under her thigh and turned, pinning her back to the massage table beneath him. His hips immediately came to rest between hers, her legs already holding him in place. She gasped in surprise at the change in position, and he took the opportunity to steal another kiss, plunging his tongue into her mouth, so that the gasp quickly turned into a soft moan. Her short fingernails dug into his shoulders, pulling him closer, and when her hips rolled up to meet his, he just about lost all sense of control. His hips responded immediately, pressing back into hers with a soft growl rumbling from deep within his chest. The hand that had been on the back of her thigh slid upward, reveling in her soft and delicate skin as he caressed her hip, before continuing his trek up her flat abdomen. He pulled the towel apart as he went, both surprised and pleased when she didn't argue with his unceremonious stripping of her, but once he found what he was looking for – her small but perfect breast – he thought for sure she would kill him. Her reaction was anything but what he was expecting.

Levy broke off the kiss just as Gajeel took one breast in his large hand. Her eyes squeezed shut out of embarrassment, she turned her head to the side until he stilled his movements, his eyes locked curiously on her face. "Lev?" he whispered, his voice deep and gruff.

She refused to look at him, warmth flooding her cheeks as she gently slipped her hands from his shoulders. _What are we doing?! We can't do this! Why would he even want me in the first place?!_ With a fury, her insecurities crashed through her mind with such force, she gasped, a tremor wracking through her. _I'm too weak, too small… He couldn't_ possibly _want me!_

"Levy!" Gajeel rumbled, his voice louder as he shook the table gently in an attempt to get her attention. "Did," he couldn't finish the sentence, his eyes growing wide with shock. _Did I hurt her?! How the hell did we end up like this?!_ It was like he was waking up from a dream. He never once thought he'd be in this position with _Levy,_ the one he craved more than iron itself, but here they were… She'd instigated the whole thing, and what was she doing? Pulling away?! It wasn't until she trembled beneath him that he was shocked from his daze and pushed himself off of her.

Once his weight was removed, Levy pulled her legs up and curled her arms around them, successfully hiding her nakedness, before turning her head shamefully to the side. Gajeel sat at her feet, disgusted with himself and completely confused. "I'm sorry, Gajeel," she whispered.

"What the hell are you sorry for?" he snapped, adjusting his towel to better hide his full arousal. He was more irritated with himself than he was with her.

Her eyes slowly opened, her cheeks darkening even more once they met his. "I'm sorry I'm not," she paused, looking down at herself and extending her arms out to the sides as though to emphasize all of her, while still hiding everything, "more."

Gajeel's brow furrowed and he all but jumped from the table, glowering at her in his confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?" Embarrassed beyond all reason, Levy swallowed nervously and averted her eyes. "Levy?!" Gajeel demanded when she continued her silence.

Her gaze focused on the floor, Levy felt tears pricking her eyes. "I-I'm not l-like the others," she admitted quietly, her voice scarcely above a whisper as she pointedly wrapped her arms tighter around her legs. The guild was full of voluptuous beauties, and while Levy often hid her discomfiture about it, the fact that her chest was considerably smaller than many of the others often bothered her – more than she cared to admit. It was one of the reasons she figured she hadn't found anyone, until she discovered Gajeel. Even then, she was certain he _couldn't_ be interested.

"Mavis, is _that_ what you're worried about?!" Gajeel gaped, his eyes wide as his hands fell limply to his sides. He'd never heard anything more preposterous, and yet it was clear Levy believed her words with her entire being. "Levy look at me." When she ignored him, and he realized he was smelling the beginnings of tears in the air, he gripped her chin in one hand, firmer than he needed to but not enough to hurt her. "Look at me!" he commanded once more in a firmer voice.

Gajeel's voice boomed in the quiet room and Levy flinched but obeyed. Her eyes were brimming with tears, causing her vision to blur as she looked up at Gajeel, the man she'd come to desire but felt she'd never have – her mystery turned love interest. Nonetheless, when her eyes met his, the merlot orbs pulling her in, despite the anger she saw there, she found herself captivated as he leaned forward, bending down so that their eyes were level. "You think I give a damn about that?" he whispered, his voice surprisingly gentle as he his thumb gently brushed her cheek. The gentle motion made her close her eyes gently, her tears spilling over to run hotly down her cheeks. He then released her chin to cup both cheeks in his hands, easily brushing her tears away with his thumbs. She was so small, especially compared to him, that he could snap her neck easily if he wanted to – but the thought had never and would never cross his mind. "You're the dumbest smart person I know," he whispered lightly, slipping his hands down her arms to gently grip her wrists. He tugged them apart, gently at first, his eyes never leaving hers to make sure she was okay with his actions, before he pulled them away from her legs. "I think you're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen," he whispered, dipping his head to her shoulder and gently kissing the hollow of her neck.

"But," Levy argued, even as her eyes drifted closed from his gentle kiss that was quickly trailing back up, following the line of her pulse.

"Let me show you how beautiful you are," he murmured, his lips brushing against hers as he finally claimed her mouth once more.

Any doubt Levy had was pushed from her mind as she gave in to Gajeel's kiss, his movements languid and slow as he climbed back up onto the table. She was already bared, but the way he searched for her towel behind her before _throwing_ it across the room sent a thrill up her spine that Levy would have never thought she'd experience. This time when he pressed her back, his weight once more settling over her, she felt nothing but excitement, even as he palmed one breast in his hand while lowering his head to the other.

The moment Gajeel's lips closed around her nipple, Levy sucked in a surprised gasp, her fingernails once more digging into his shoulders as her back arched up on its own. He sucked on her gently, flicking her nipple with his tongue while rolling the other between his fingers. When Levy let out a quiet moan, her fingers moving to grip his hair, he pulled away, grinning wolfishly. "How can you say you aren't perfect?" he breathed, before switching to the other breast.

"Gajeel!" Levy cried, doing her best to keep her voice down as she squirmed beneath him. In her movements, her hips bucked up, immediately eliciting Gajeel's to press down against hers.

"Damn it, Lev," Gajeel cursed as he finally pulled away. He was smiling despite his words. "If you keep doing that…"

Excitement had won out in Levy's battle of emotions, her fears soothed by Gajeel's surprisingly gentle caress and words. As she looked up at the mountainous man carefully holding himself off of her, she felt surer of herself than ever before, a thrill running down her spine and pooling in her core as she saucily cocked an eyebrow, smiling. "You'll what?" she asked, trailing her fingertips down his heavily muscled and scarred arms.

His eyes darkening, Gajeel growled deep within his throat as he shuddered beneath Levy's gentle touch. When she reached down, gently caressing his sides, he groaned, wanting nothing more than her hands to continue their gentle work. "I think you know what," he grumbled, feigning annoyance even as his eyes drifted closed and his head drooped. His hair created a black curtain around them, casting them into shadow.

"Oh?" she teased, playing with the edge of his towel.

"You want me to ravish you on this damn table? 'Cause that's what's going to happen if we don't stop," he warned, slowly opening his eyes. It came out playful, but he was serious, and even Levy could understand that from his tone.

To his pleasant surprise, Levy only smiled, coyly shrugging her shoulders as she pulled his towel apart. "Oh really?"

 _Damn it, woman!_ Gajeel was both cursing her and praising her in his head, concern for her warring with his desire to have her. She was right, she was tiny, and he was more than a little afraid of crushing her if they were to do just what he wanted to do, and if the sudden freedom he felt when she opened his towel was any indication, he wanted to do _a lot._ His brows drew down as he stared into her eyes, feeling like the gentle pools of brown could drown him. "Are you sure about this, Levy?" he whispered, pausing out of concern for her. "There's no going back," he began.

Levy stilled him with a gentle finger to his lips. Smiling softly, she shook her head to stop his words. "I know that," she murmured, surprised she was still able to maintain eye contact. "And yes, I'm sure."

She watched as Gajeel gulped, the movement of his throat audible in their near silent surroundings, before he lowered himself, his lips nearly bruising in their intensity against hers. This kiss was not languid, but deep and full of passion as he settled onto her, bracing himself on his elbows. Their hips touched, but he was careful to keep himself away from her, even as she writhed beneath him, throwing her arms around his shoulders and pulling him closer as she easily challenged him for dominance of their kiss.

When Levy broke the kiss off with a pleased sigh, Gajeel wasted no time in making his way down her chest, kissing and biting and licking his path down. As he made his way down with his lips, he trailed one hand up the inside of her thigh, smiling to himself when she shivered and squirmed beneath him. It wasn't until he kissed just above the apex of her thighs, his tongue marking a slow circle, that Levy realized what he was doing. "Gajeel!" she hissed, looking up at him in surprise.

His knuckles brushed against her as he looked up at her call with a smile. "Yes?" he teased, his smile turning smug as she shuddered beneath him.

"What," she began, but her words petered out into a gasp as he drew his fingers up her slit, testing her warmth for the first time.

"Just shut up and trust me, Shrimp," he ordered with a grin, heat flooding him as she dropped her head back with a gentle nod as he stroked her again. This time, when he lowered his mouth to her as well, she gasped, gripping his hair out of reflex. He tested her, taking his time as he trailed his tongue up her center, marveling in how warm and wet she already was, and was only made more excited by her taste. If he didn't have to be so careful with her, they would probably already be finished, but he also didn't want her first time to be so rushed. Not for the first time, he cursed and yet praised her for what she did to him as he closed his eyes, inhaled her sweet scent, and slipped a finger inside of her.

The gasp that escaped Levy as Gajeel first pressed a finger into her was both pleased and surprised. Even as he moved that finger around, swirling it and curling it, she felt the tightness in her core grow, but it still wasn't quite enough. The moment his mouth returned to her as well, she immediately moaned, gripping his hair as his movements sent pleasant shockwaves throughout her body. She'd never known the giant man to be this gentle, so she was pleasantly surprised as he clearly took his time, easing her into it as he gently pushed another finger inside. "Gajeel," she whispered, her hips moving in symphony to his movements.

Smiling against her, even with his face buried between her thighs, Gajeel felt pride swell within his chest at her quiet sigh. She was clearly trying _not_ to press his face into her, but she was, and he reveled in the overwhelming sensation of her arousal surrounding him, her hips moving beneath him as he explored her heat.

All too soon, Levy felt herself teetering on the brink. Even though her eyes were already squeezed shut, her vision grew darker, her breath coming in short gasps as Gajeel hit a spot over and over again, his mouth gently sucking on the bundle of nerves that made her tremble and open her mouth in a silent scream. "Oh!" she gasped, just as light exploded behind her eyelids and she stilled, clamping down on Gajeel's fingers without realizing it. Gajeel simply smiled against her, continuing his movements to prolong her moment of ecstasy until she sighed and went limp.

Gently removing his fingers from her, Gajeel slowly made his way back up, gently licking and kissing another path, pausing to pay attention to each breast, as Levy slowly came down from her high. When he hovered over her, and she lazily wrapped her arms around his shoulders, he felt he could die and be a happy man. Even though she was clearly spent, Levy's eyes still glinted in the dark, all but glowing as she undulated beneath him; proof she wasn't ready to be done yet either. The gentle action brought a smile to his face as he pressed his lips to hers.

At first, Levy hesitated in their kiss. Tasting herself on him was both expected and not expected, but when Gajeel's tongue plunged into her mouth, his hips rolling against hers, she couldn't stop herself from responding. When her hands trailed down his sides once more, and he groaned into their kiss, she felt her heart race anew, this time in a different sense of anticipation. He'd done so much for her, she felt she owed him, but instead, he gently positioned himself between her thighs, keeping her knees spread with his own. "Lev," he breathed, breaking away from their kiss to press his face against her neck. His control was slipping.

"It's okay," she whispered back, running fingers through his hair as she felt his hardness against the inside of her thigh.

He didn't need to be told twice. He moved, eagerly seeking out her hot wetness, and groaning once he found it. She gasped at the sensation, brief though it was, surprised by the immediate tightening of her core as warmth flooded her. When he pressed forward, she immediately groaned, her eyes drifting shut as her hips reacted on their own, tilting up to take him in even more. The action made Gajeel rumble deep within his chest as he slowly pushed inside her.

Levy knew her first time might not be the most pleasant, and with Gajeel's considerable size, she expected more discomfort than she felt. The sensation of him filling her, stretching muscles that didn't know how to be stretched, made her flinch slightly but more so out of confusion. She felt a slight stinging when he hit the widest point, but by continuing forward, the moment was brief. He didn't stop until he was sheathed completely within her, panting from the effort of restraining himself. As he paused, letting her adjust, she realized she'd never felt more complete.

Gajeel was facing many of the same emotions Levy was, feeling like he'd finally found his place as he slipped inside her. They were finally one, and even though she had tensed momentarily beneath him, she hadn't cried out and hadn't pushed him away. Although he wanted nothing more than to ravage her, his instincts clouding his judgement, he waited, allowing her to adjust as he pressed gentle kisses to her neck. "Lev," he breathed against her ear, causing her to shudder just before he captured the lobe with his teeth. Her shudder caused him to press his hips further into hers as he groaned.

"Gajeel," she moaned breathlessly, her hips rising to meet his. It was all the permission he needed as he slowly withdrew before pressing forward. The gentle movement caused tingles of pleasure to ripple through both of their bodies as Levy met him, her breath being stolen each time he thrust forward.

As much as moving within her flooded him with heat, Gajeel wanted to see the woman beneath him, to look at her as he took her. Neither of them no longer paid attention to the fact that they were on a massage table, that the table squeaked softly each time he thrust into her. All he knew was that she was far too low beneath him and he had to correct that. "Hold on a second," he rumbled, pausing to reluctantly pull out of her. The sad and confused look Levy gave him made him chuckle. "Don't worry, I ain't done with you yet."

Warmth flooding her cheeks, Levy smiled nonetheless, and squeaked when Gajeel grabbed her roughly, rolling onto his back and pulling her with him so that she straddled his hips. She didn't need any instruction as she pressed up onto her knees and lowered herself onto him, gasping at the change in sensation as he penetrated even deeper than before. Gajeel smiled as her eyes fell shut, her tiny hands resting on his abdomen as she expertly worked her hips over him. His body moved on its own as he dropped his head with a moan, his hands gripping her hips and guiding her as much as holding her in place. She gripped him tightly, and the way her breath hitched told him she was already close again, and he sat up, holding her upright with a hand at her back.

They were back to how they began, Gajeel's change in position striking a point so deep within Levy that she gasped, gripping his shoulders tightly out of surprise. Seeing the smartest woman he knew so lost, so disheveled, and so at his mercy, made Gajeel grin as he pumped into her from below, holding her hips in place.

Levy was unraveling in his arms, her cries no longer quiet as she held onto him for dear life. It was as though fireworks were going off both within her mind and within her body as Gajeel took her. While he had started off gentle, the change in position had changed that, but she didn't care. His movements were filled with passion and his resulting grunts told her he was just as close as she was, his rhythm no longer regular. When he faltered, having to drop one hand behind him to continue supporting them, she pushed him back forcefully, so that he flopped onto his back with a huff as she continued to ride him.

"Gods, Levy!" Gajeel ground out between clenched teeth. She was tightening around him and before he could stop himself, he grabbed her hips and held her in place as he came, his entire body tensing as he spilled inside her. The sudden harsh movement was all it took for Levy to follow him over the edge, her body stilling as her mind went completely blank. Her head was drooped forward, but the quiet cry she tried so hard to suppress was still music to Gajeel's ears.

"Holy shit," Levy murmured once she regained control of her senses and collapsed forward onto Gajeel's chest.

Smiling, Gajeel ran his fingers through the mess that was now Levy's hair. He had never felt happier, never felt more whole, than he did lying in the afterglow of their love making, still joined as one. "You believe me now?" he teased, bucking his hips.

Gasping, Levy giggled, heat flooding her cheeks despite what they'd just done. "Yes, I believe you." She paused, her ear pressed to Gajeel's chest and listening to the steady thumping of his heart. It was soothing, being this close to him and this free, but as she listened, she was looking around them, and it was then that she realized they were still in the massage room. "Gajeel, we!" she cried, throwing herself back up off of his chest.

Not understanding her surprise, Gajeel lazily dragged a finger down her chest. "Yes, we did," he rumbled.

Batting his hand away, Levy rose up off of him, the sensation of him leaving her surprisingly disappointing as she then slid off the table. "No! We did this _here!_ " she hissed.

Finally paying attention, Gajeel looked around with a grin. "So?"

"What about the others?!" she cried, doing her best to keep her voice quiet as she wrapped her towel around herself once more.

Begrudgingly following suit, Gajeel shrugged. "What about them?"

"You think they heard us?!"

His towel secured around his waist, Gajeel gripped Levy's shoulders, stilling her frantic pacing. "Who cares if they did? Chances are they were just as busy as us."

Levy's entire being flushed red at his words and she dropped her gaze. _I can't face them again after this… Especially Natsu! Oh, Mavis! He'd easily hear_ everything _!_ The thought caused her to look up at the iron dragon slayer beside her. "Do you hear them?"

Cocking his head to the side, Gajeel frowned at the lack of sounds he heard from the other rooms, but then he smiled. "Nope! Seems they've all gone elsewhere."

* * *

 _As always, I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. I just own this story/idea and enjoy writing about the lovelies created by Hiro Mashima. Comments and reviews are always welcome and bring me such joy!_


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